Josephus c



(No Model.)

, J. O. CHAMBERS. Mode of Protecting Oil Tanks from Lightning or Fire.

Patented Nov. 9,1880.

UNITED STATES PATENT OEEIQE.

JOSEPHUS C. CHAMBERS, OF CINCINNATI, OHIO, ASSIGNOR TO CHAMBERS NATIONAL LIGHTNING PROTECTION COMPANY, OF SAME PLACE.

MODE OF PROTECTING OIL-TANKS FROM LIGHTNING OR FIRE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 234,173, dated November 9, 1880,

Application filed August 10, 1880.

T 0 all whom it may concern Beit known that I, JosEPHUs C. CHAMBERS, a citizen of the United States, residing at Cincinnati, in the county of Hamilton and State of Ohio, have invented Improvements in Mode of Protecting Oil-Tanks from Lightning or Fire, of which the following is a Specification.

My invention relates to certain improvements upon metallic reservoirs for containing petroleum and similar hydrocarbons, whereby the danger of ignition and probable explosion resulting from electrical discharges, such as lightning, St. Elmos tire, 850., is entirely obviated.

Heretofore petroleumianks have been constructed with a large cylindrical body setting part way into the ground and covered over by a composite roofing composed of wooden lining and sheet-iron cover, the cover being nailed down to the sheathing in the manner of a tin roof, all being supported by suitable studding within. The oil is introduced by a pipe eX tending up on the outside and projecting into the tank through a hatchway closed by a loosely-fittingdoor. Through this same hatchway all gas evolved from the oil, or accompanying it through the pipe from the well, is allowed to escape freely into the atmosphere. The roof also, owing to the expansion and contraction of the metal due to changes in temperature, soon affords a multitude of leaks. These features, it is believed, have been the real cause of explosions and conflagrations of such bodies of oil. To obviate this danger is the object of my improvements.

In the first place I construct the hatchway capable of being hermetically sealed, and in the center of the top of thetank I construct a gas-dome, from which leads a suitable gasdelivery pipe provided with a stop cook or valve, so that the gas evolved may be carried away to a safe distance from the oil-reservoir and utilized as fuel in any desired manner.

In the second place I connect the oil-supply pipe directly to the tank, the joint between the two being hermetically sealed, thereby preventing the escape of the gas around the p1 e.

In the third place I construct the roof gas- (No model.)

tight in all other respects, for which purpose it is made of sheet-iron riveted together, of sufficient strength to prevent any serious alterations due to changes of temperature, and the joints calked, painted, or otherwise treated so as to leave no openings through which the gas may escape into the atmosphere and be liable to be ignited either by lightning or fire.

The construction of the tank is not claimed as new in itself, but is an important adjunct of my mode, hereinafter described, of protection from lightning.

My invention may beused, though notto so good advantage, as I believe, with tanks of different construction.

The nature of my peculiar invention is as follows: For the purpose of preventing the tanks being struck by lightning, I construct on the root of the tank a system of induction lightning-rods similar to those described in Patents Nos. 194,220 and 2%,504, granted to me on the 14th of August, 1877, and 10th of Feb ruary, 1880, respectively. Owing to the large metallic surface of the tank, there will be a considerable amount of negative electricity accumulated on the roof, and in order to disperse this electricity I add a series of downwardly-projecting points to the rods, which act in regard to the tank in the same manner as the upwardly-projecting points act with re gard to the clouds. Suppose, for instance, that a cloud should pass over the tank, then the positive electricity of the cloud will induce negative electricity both on the top of the tank and the upwardly-projecting points, and both the negative of the tank and the positive of the cloud will tend to make the lower portions of the rods positive, which diffusingoff of the downwardly-projecting points will neutralize the tension of the electricity on the tank.

In order that my invention may be fully understood, I will proceed to describe it with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 represents, partly in section and 5 partly in elevation, an oil-reservoir embodying my improvements. Fig. 2 is a detail section of the hatchway. Fig. 3 is a view of a portion ,Qfi the tank on a larger scale, showing one of the downwardly-projecting points on the lightning-rod.

A represents a sheet-metal oil-tank of ordinary construction, having the usual man-hole B, oil-supply pipe 0, and oil-delivery pipe D. The roof E is conical in shape, and is supported by interior frame-work, F. The roof, like the side, is made of plates of boiler-iron riveted together, so that the expansion and contraction due to changes of temperature will not resultin rupture and consequent leakage.

G is a small gas-dome situated over the center of the top of the tank, and communicating with the gasdelivery pipe H. A stop-cock, 1, serves to control the flow of the gas, and should be used to entirely shutoff the eduction of the gas whenever the tank is placed in communication with the atmosphere either by the opening of the hatch, repairing of the roof, or otherwise.

J represents my improved hatch, which is preferably cylindrical in shape, and is hermetically closed by the lid K, said lid being fastened down upon an india-rubber gasket, L, by means of hand-nut M, screwing on center bolt N, which passes through an orifice in the cover, and is secured below by rod 0 to the tank. A lip, It, may be provided on the cover K for making the joint more complete.

The supply-pipe G has a flange, c, which is hermetically secured to the tank, so as to prevent all escape of gas around the sides of the pipe.

P represents the gage-rod, which is marked with suitable divisions, and slides within guidesp 011 the side of the hatchway. \Vhen it is desired to ascertain the depth of the oil the cover K is removed from the hatchway and the rod P raised, when the mark at the border of the wet portion of the rod will indicate the depth of the liquid, from which the contents of the tank may be calculated.

It will be seen that by the application of my improvements to an ordinary oil-tank it may be completely insulated from the action of fire or electricity, for as there is no open communication with the atmosphere it is evident that no combustion could take place.

R R represent two concentric circles of lightning-rods, communicating by rods 1' with each other and with a central rod mounted on the top of the gas-dome. These rods are constructed according to Patents Nos. 194,220 and 224,504, granted to me on the 14th of August, 1877, and 10th of February, 1880, respectively, to which patents reference is made for detailed description of their construction.

S S represent a number of short points, of copper or other good conductor of electricity, projecting downwardly from the rod 1', for the purpose of diffusing the positive electricity induced in the lower portions of the rod system and neutralizing the negative accumulated on the top of the tank.

The insulators T T are glass, and are of the shape shown and described in the above-mentioned patents. These insulators are supported on short posts at a distance of about twelve or fifteen inches from the top of the tank.

Clack-valves are employed in the supplypipe and gas-delivery pipe, the former for checking .the backward flow of the oil when the tank is full and the latter for automatically closing the pipe H should the gas tend to flow backward.

Having thus described my invention, the following is what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent:

The combination of the hermetically-closed oil-tank, gas-delivery pipe H, and rods R, having the upwardly-projecting points and downwardly-projecting points, insulated both from the tank and the ground, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

JOSEPHUS O. CHAMBERS.

Witnesses:

WALTER KNIGHT, HARRY E. KNIGHT. 

